Physical Therapy Visit

Physical therapy (PT) uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help you regain or improve your physical abilities. It aims to ease pain and help you function, move, and live better.

Physical therapy services are provided by physical therapists, who are professionals licensed by the state in which they work. They work closely with you to prevent injury or loss of functional mobility and help ensure a safe return to maximal function.¹

You may need physical therapy to:

• Relieve pain
• Improve movement 
• Prevent or recover from an injury
• Work on balance
• Adapt to an artificial limb
• Help with a splint or brace

Not only does therapy treat a variety of health problems, but it also has been proven to reduce medical costs and save you money by diminishing the need for unnecessary medication, imaging scans, or surgeries. The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to help you to restore functional independence.²

To prepare for physical therapy, call to make an appointment and ask whether you should wear or bring a certain type of clothing. Your first physical therapy session (PT session) may include an initial evaluation, so make a list of any questions you have and be prepared to discuss any symptoms you’ve been experiencing. This will ensure you make the best use of your time with your physical therapist.

Physical therapy is performed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation facilities, at home or in an outpatient clinic.³

During your initial evaluation, the physical therapist may evaluate and assess your overall condition . You may be asked to do physical exams to measure:

• Strength
• Balance
• Pain
• Range of motion
• Cardiac and pulmonary function
• Overall functional mobility

After gathering information about your injury or illness, the physical therapist will work with you to create a treatment plan and recommend the number of physical therapy sessions that you may need.⁴

Sufficient effort, as agreed between you and the physical therapist, is necessary to maximize the benefit from each treatment session. After your physical therapy care is completed, continue to follow the after-care instructions provided by the physical therapist.⁵

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover physical therapy to some extent. However, the amount of coverage can vary depending on your plan.

If you have health insurance, you will typically be responsible for paying a copay or coinsurance for each physical therapy session. This can range from $10 to $75 per session, depending on your plan.

Medicare Part B also covers physical therapy, but you will be responsible for paying 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for each session. If you have a Medigap policy, it may cover some or all of your out-of-pocket costs.

It's important to check with your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage for physical therapy. Some insurance plans may have limits on the number of sessions covered or may require pre-authorization for treatment.

If you do not have insurance, including Medicaid or Medicare, or choose to not utilize it for physical therapy, MDsave offers attractive upfront physcial therapy prices from a range of quality therapists across the country. 

Physical therapists typically bill your visit using a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code. This code is used to identify the type of treatment you received during your session.⁶

For example, if you received manual therapy during your session, your therapist would use the CPT code 97140. If you received therapeutic exercises, they would use the CPT code 97110.

The CPT code is then submitted to your insurance company or Medicare for reimbursement. If you are paying out-of-pocket, the CPT code will be used to determine the cost of your visit.

On MDsave, your physical therapy visit purchase covers a range of different CPT codes for one single, upfront price. See the 'Procedure Description' for each provider's offer for the exact details on what is included.